Chapter 5
When Beasties Attack

A/N: The second half of last chapter ) Some resolution, and more lose ends created P as always.

Not as many reviews as last time ( oh well… I spose that's my comeuppance for leaving it so long between posts.

I'm really worried about next chapter… it's not coming together like I'd hoped. And I have major assessment coming up soon. I'll do my best to get it up ASAP.

"A hell hound." Spike breathed. Rex snarled and snapped as the teenagers approached his cage. His red snout was wet with splatters of drool. Protruding from blackened gums were a row of sharp menacing teeth. Spike was not the type to frighten easily, but looking at this mad animal, frothing at the mouth, made him more then a little apprehensive.

"Hello Rex, Hello," Sophia cooed to the hell hound. "Shh, be a good boy. Mummy's come to rescue you. Yes she has."

"So, this is your dog?" Spike asked.

Natasha smiled. "Cute, isn't he?"

Spike would have described him as a hideous wild beast, but impressing Natasha was his main aim in life at the moment, and it coloured his judgement. "Gorgeous lil' pup," he agreed.

"Let's let him out." Sophia cried.

"We can't, love," Spike said. "We don't have the security code."

Dameon snarled violently and charged at the security key pad, fangs bared. He ripped it right of the wall trailing wires and sparks. "There's more then one way to skin a cat." He lisped around his vampire incisors. The whole door sparked as the break in the electrical circuit took its tole. The lights flickered and blew out.

Rex whimpered. "It's alright puppy," Sophia cooed.

Natasha, also in full vampire form, simply pulled the mechanic door sideways and it slid smoothly open.

The hell hound nervously sniffed the air. "It's alright Rex, you're a good boy. C'mon out." 'Rex' took a few tentative steps out into the corridor. Sophia held out her hand to him, "come on. Here boy."

Spike heard something to his left. A low quiet rumble. Too soft to be heard by human ears- Spike's vampiric hearing only just picked it up. It was Natasha. She was growling.

The hell hound obviously heard it. His ears flew backwards, as if recoiling from a horrible noise. He bared his vicious teeth and barked.

From the corner of his eye, Spike saw in slow motion, Natasha smile. She growled again.

The noise drove Rex wild. He lunged forward and bit Sophia's hand, leaving four heavy red tooth marks on her white skin.

Sophia yelped. "Rex!" Tears sprung into her eyes.

The hell hound took no notice. He snarled, this time at Natasha. He readied his back legs to jump at her. Seeing Natasha in danger, Spike leapt into action. He kicked Rex in the gut, sending the dog skimming over the white tiles. It made a strangled cry halfway between a yelp and a bark.

"Spike," Natasha gasped. "You saved… thankyou."

"Save it," Spike said, "Before you go praising me, I suggest we catch that dog."

But Spike's suggestion was too late. Rex had recovered from his fall, and was back on all four paws. He snapped twice and glared at Spike, but the dog knew when it was beaten. With one last growl he turned tail and ran down the corridor away from the teenagers. They stood in stunned silence as their pet disappeared, to cause havoc else where.

Sophia was the first to speak, "Michael," she whined, "Kiss my hand better."

Spike looked at her aghast. They'd just let a monstrous beast loose on Wolfram and Hart, and all she cared about was her stupid hand? "What about that thing?" he said. "We have to catch it."

"No we don't," Natasha said silkily, "It'll be much more fun this way."

Dameon put a cold thin hand on Spike's shoulder, "You see Spike," He said, "this was our plan all along. And we couldn't have done it without you."

Spike didn't have time to reply. A scream from within the Containment department ripped the air.

"Ah," Natasha said, "the first victim."

Spike's feet moved before his brain did. The scream was still echoing off the walls as he ran in the direction the beast had gone. He recognised that scream. Rex had found fresh meat.

The dog came out of nowhere. It was upon them before either had time to react. Fred's first instinct was to protect Tilly. She pushed the little girl behind her as the animal's sharp fangs raced forward and sank into her arm. She screamed.

"Aun'y Fred!" Tilly gasped. The little girl was shaking in fright.

"It's alright, Tilly," Fred gasped. She threw her arm sideways with all the strength she possessed. The hell hound flew off tearing deep cuts in Fred's arm. The pain was terrible but she bit down on her bottom lip and kept her cry to herself. The dog hit the ground hard knocking the wind out of its chest. They had precious few seconds until it recovered. "Run," Fred gasped to Tilly, staggering forward herself, "quickly, run!"

Tilly blundered forward, tears streaming down her face. Fred kept a tight hold on her hand as they both stumbled forward. There was a snarl as the dog recovered. Fred knew it was right behind them and gaining fast, but she didn't dare look. Any moment it would catch up and tear them apart.

At least, Fred though, if the dog caught them it would take her first and Tilly would have time to run away. She could hold her own for maybe a minute or two, without a weapon. She hoped that would be enough time for Tilly to escape.

Where had it come from? It seemed to have lunged straight out of the tiles. Containment was full of scary animals, but Fred had never imagined they could escape.

There was a growl, and Fred knew it was right behind them. She turned to face it, pushing Tilly behind her. "Run Tilly, quickly!"

The dog stayed a meter back, snarling and bearing its teeth in a show of aggression.

"I won't leave you," Tilly sobbed.

Fred looked around desperately for a weapon. She stepped slowly backwards, away from the dog, trying to think of something she could do to distract it. She pulled off her shoe, and threw it over the beast's head. It clattered on the white tiles. The dog momentarily looked behind it to see what the noise was. Fred used this time to pull of her other shoe and throw it at the dog. It collided with the animals' snout, just as it turned around again.

It whimpered more out of surprise then pain. Fred grabbed Tilly around the waste and ran down the corridor with her. The dog gave chase, its claws clattering on the tiles.

The lights above began to flicker. Something had happened to the electricity. "Got your torch?" Fred asked Tilly.

Matilda fumbled with her little pink light. She turned it on, just as the power went out. Back up power brought a yellow glow to the lights over head. It was light enough for Fred to see, but the shadows were everywhere. The dog was nearby, Fred could smell its rank doggy odour, and hear it's ragged breath. It was stalking them from the shadows. Waiting for the moment to pounce.

"Is the torch working ok?" Fred asked Tilly.

Tilly held her torch below her chin, as if she were telling a ghost story. "It's fi-" Tilly screamed and dropped her torch as the dog lunged out of the darkness. Its gnashing jaws missed Tilly by inches. Fred yanked her backwards just in time. Tilly began to cry hysterically.

Fred picked her up again and ran desperately down the corridors, looking everywhere for a weapon.

There was a red fire extinguisher on the wall a few meters ahead. It wasn't a great weapon. But it was the best they had. Fred pushed Tilly into the wall behind her, and ripped the extinguisher of its wall bracket. The dog leapt at them and was met with a face full of extinguisher foam. It yelped, but the chemicals were harmless, and it soon shook the bubbles off.

Fred threw the extinguisher can at the dog in a last effort to escape it. The creature yowled in pain as the heavy metal canister slammed onto its back. Fred gasped. The stress on her muscles where the dog had bitten her was too much to bear.

She stood up straight with her arms out, shielding Tilly as best she could. The creature advanced. It took a few paces back, ready to charge. Fred closed her eyes, unable to watch as it charged forwards. The sound of its claws clattering on the tiles and its putrid jaws gnashing got closer and closer. Its hot breath puffed out against Fred's neck as it went in for the kill.

The creature yelped in pain. Fred opened her eyes to see it hurtling in reverse. The dog was being pulled backwards by its tail. Someone had come to their rescue. The saviour threw the dog sideways slamming it into a wall. "Leave her alone." He growled.

"Spike?" Fred gasped.

"Aun'y Fred," Spike dropped to his knees beside her, "blood hell, your arm." Fred flinched as Spike touched the large red cuts on her arm. Spike pulled back almost as quickly as Fred did. Her blood was warm, and smelt almost appetising.

From behind Fred, crouching in the darkness, Tilly looked at their rescuer, "Spike?" she whispered. Her little pink torch fluttered in the darkness, the battery dieing.

"The thing," Fred said.

Spike looked behind him. The hell hound had recovered from Spike's last attack and was looking angry. "uh-oh". Spike turned to face the monster he had released. "Back off, Puppy."

Rex charged. His white gnashing fangs sank into Spike's thigh, causing the vampire boy to groan with pain. With a yell, he kicked the dog off him. Rex didn't go far, and he was quickly back on his feet, ready for another attack.

Spike struggled to stand- his injured leg shaking with the effort. The dog growled and jumped at him again, this time biting his shoulder. He fell backwards, crashing into Fred and bringing them both down. With a bleeding leg and a throbbing arm, Spike began to feel afraid. "Fred," He gasped, "I think I botched this up a little."

A cold wind filled the corridor. The hairs on Spike's neck stood up. Something dark was rising. The dim glow from the back up lights was almost shut out as dark tendrils swarmed over the ceiling. The whispers of a thousand angry lost souls filled the air.

Spike was afraid to turn around, and see what was behind him. Tilly was changing. The shadows were taking her over.

"Tilly," Fred gasped, "Hunni, look at me."

Spike turned in time to see his little friend's head snap up. Her eyes were inky black, with glowing white centres. Dark shadows emanated from her, bathing her in their hideous black smog. Her skin shone with an eerie pale pallor. And her voice boomed with a million echoed cries when she spoke, "We have not forgotten."

In the darkness, the dog growled. Spike heard him snap his jaws, trying to stop the shadows closing in around him. The frenzied frightened animals thrashed around as the shadows tormented him as they tormented the humans.

The sound of a gun being fired ripped through the air. Rex whimpered, and fell silent. Spike and Fred turned, as a torch light filled the corridor. Immediately the shadows disappeared.

"Fred?"

Fred's face melted in relief. "Wesley." His face was half lit by the shafts of light splaying outwards from a torch held a lot in his left hand. In his right, fallen against his side, was a still smoking gun. Spike cowered instinctively. Wesley's grim expression scared the young vampire. There was something mad and very un-watcherly in the ex-watcher's eyes.

There was a dull thump as Tilly's body hit the floor. Wesley rushed to her side, his hard expression mollifying. "She fainted." He said. Spike looked on as the ex-watcher took Fred in his arms and kissed her forehead. "Are you alright?" he asked. Fred nodded, her head pressed against his chest. He turned to face Spike, his eyes dark and mad again,

"Did you do this?" he asked. Spike didn't reply. "Did you?"

The vampire boy looked down. "I can explain," he mumbled. "It was just- I never meant- this was their idea…"

"I'm calling Angel," Wes said.

"No!" Spike began to protest.

"Either I call Angel, and he deals with this," Wesley said, "Or I stake you now for putting the people I love in danger."

The expression on Wesley's face told Spike the ex-watcher was deadly serious. "Call Angel." He gulped.

Angel glowered at Spike from across his large desk. "I expressly told you to stay out of trouble."

"And I tried," Spike pleaded.

"What on earth were you thinking?" Angel boomed. "No. You can't have been thinking at all. A hell hound. You know perfectly well those are dangerous. I can't believe you'd be so stupid- to put people at risk like that. People could have died. Fred and Tilly are still in hospital."

Spike pulled his duster nervously over his injured shoulder. He didn't want Angel to see that he was hurt. He was in enough trouble without having to deal with Angel going all angry-protective-parent.

"You broke into Containment," Angel continued "You destroyed company property."

"It wasn't my idea!" Spike cried, "Natasha made me do it."

"Who?"

"Natasha," said Spike. "This girl."

Angel leant back in his chair and sighed a heavy sigh. "A girl." He rubbed his heavy brow, the trade mark brood lines appearing. "What is it with you and girls? Drusilla made you bad. Buffy made you good. Now this Natasha-"

"It really was her fault," Spike interjected. "Her and Sophia. They wanted me to rescue their dog."

"Rescue? Spike, are you really that dumb?" Angel paused. "Wait, don't answer that."

"I screwed up, alright?" Spike said, getting angrily to his feet, "Is that what you want to hear? I did. I messed up big time, I followed some stupid girl and I nearly got Fred and Tilly killed." He winced, and clutched his leg where Rex had bitten it.

"What's wrong?" Angel asked.

"Nothing."

The older vampire got out of his chair and moved towards his ward, "I can smell your blood, Spike. Let me see how bad it is." Spike pulled up his trouser leg to reveal a bloody calf. "And the other one," Angel said. Spike pulled off his duster, revealing the torn shoulder.

Angel inspected his wounds. "You're healing already." Spike expected Angel to continue to lecture him, probably about the danger he put himself in, but Angel seemed to have calmed down. His paternal concern had outweighed his rage. "Why didn't you block?"

"I don't know how," said Spike.

Angel scoffed, "You're a fantastic fighter Spike, I've seen you. You're almost as good as me." Angel grudgingly mumbled. "Maybe it's part of the regression. Those parts of your life are being repressed. Extreme violence, overtly sexual situations, the sort of things a teenager would want but shouldn't have."

Spike raised and eyebrow at his grandsire. "You're doing that thing where you mumble to yourself."

"Sorry," He said. "Look, let me show you how to block. Follow me. Stand like this." Angel steadied his legs and held up his arms, as if expecting an enemy. Spike followed his lead. Angel pulled up his left arm and pushed his chin back, fixing his stance. "Good. Now you're ready for an attack. You can either face it with aggression, or choose to defend from here." Angel moved back. "Now I'm going to try and hit you. And I want you to block."

Spike smiled almost evilly as Angel stood opposite him. "I'll try."

Angel stared at Spike, his dark brown eyes looking straight into Spike's blue one. The intensity of that stare had been enough to bring girls to tears and make men cower in centuries past. If Spike was intimidated, he didn't show it. He returned Angel's gaze with a calm cool smirk.

Angel struck out unexpectedly. His fist moved so fast it would have been halfway towards Spike's chin before a human eye could detect it. The air whooshed back as his fist sailed towards Spike.

The younger vampire blocked. He stopped Angel's attack, and threw his own punch under Angel's arm connecting with his stomach.

"Oof," Angel grunted. Both vampires were still. Spike's arm quivered as he pulled back from his grandsire, afraid of Angel's wrath.

"Um- sorry," Spike said. "I didn't meant to... I mean it was just like-"

"Instinct," Angel said and to Spike's surprise, he was smiling. "That was instinct, Spike. The part inside that just knows what to do. Or doesn't even know what to do but it just does it. You've got that fighter's instinct." He gave Spike a clap on the shoulders beaming like a proud father.

"Yeah?" Spike beamed. "Yeah, how bout we go again."

The world seemed to slow, in Spikes eyes as she scene suddenly changed. Angel stopped smiling. He staggered backwards, looking at Spike with a mixture of fear and horror. Spike stoped towards Angel, his young features displaying his hurt and confusion.

"Angel-"

"No, I can't do this," Angel croaked. "Not again."

"Can't do what?" Spike asked in confusion.

Angel mumbled something that sounded like "Connor."

"Connor?" Spike said. "Who's Connor?"

Angel didn't reply. Abruptly he turned back to Spike, his expression still broody but not hurt or shocked any more. "I think that's enough excitement for today Spike. I'll finish up here, and we can go home. You need to let your wounds heal. Tomorrow I'll think of a suitable consequence for your actions."

He said no more about his son. Spike knew it would be use asking. He had caused enough trouble for one day.